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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — of a word
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — the cause
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com